Change speed mechanism for bicycles



Aug. 8, 1939. J. E. BUTLER CHANGE SPEED MECHANISM FOR BICYCLES Filed Jan. 6, 19s"! s Sheets-Sheet 1 I I 0 J E 8101i er By Aiiofneys CHANGE SPEED MECHANISM FOR BIQYCLES Filed Jan. 6, 193'! s Sheds-Sheet 2 I Inventor fi/l v 33 34 By Mu mum,-

A iiorneys 1939. J. E. BUTLER CHANGE SPEED MECHANISM FOR BICYCLES Filed Jan. 6, 1937 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 m w n m e T U 0 m u Patented Aug. 8, 1939 CHANGE SPEED MECHANISM FOR BICYCLES James Edward Butler, Woodville, Ala. Application January 6, 1937, Serial No. 119,334

1. G am- 74- The present invention relates to bicycles and has for its principal object to provide a change speed mechanism therefor by'means of which power exerted upon the pedals of the bicycle may be regulated and transmitted to the drive wheel in accordance to the conditions of the roadway over which the bicycle is traveling.

A further objectis to provide electrical means for regulating the change in speed of the bicycle.

* A still further object is to provide an apparatus of this characterof simple and practical construction, eflicient and reliable in performance, relatively inexpensive to manufacture and install in operation and otherwise well adapted for the purposes for which the sameis intended.

Other objects and advantages reside in the details .of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout and in whichr- Figure 1 Ba side elevational view of a bicycle fembodying my invention. p

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken substantially on a line 2-2 of Figure 1. r

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view through the hub .of the pedals, taken substantially on a line 3-3 of Figure 2-. Figure 4 is 'a sectional view taken along a line 4--4 of Figure 3. r I Figure 5 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially on a line 5-5 of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary sectional view through one of the sprockets, taken substantially onaline6-6ofFigure3. r

Figure '7 is a top plan view of the pivoted lever for selectively connecting the drive pedals with the sprockets. a n t Figure 8 is a side elevational view thereof. Figure 9 is a viewin elevation of the manually operated auxiliary control lever.

Figure 10 is a detail of the auxiliary electromagnet for releasing the lever.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, wherein for the purpose of illustration I have disclosed a preferred embodiment of the invention the numeral 5 designates a bicycle or similar vehicle generally which includes a frame 6 and front and rear wheels 1 and 8 respectively. A shaft housing 9 is supported from the frame within which a shaft I0 is journaled and from which the usual drive pedals extend from each end thereof. At one end of the shaft l0, outwardly of the housing 9, and freely rotatable thereon, is a large 55 sprocket wheel l2 and a relatively small sprocket wheel I 3, the large sprocket wheel having a chain I4 trained thereover for driving a rear sprocket wheel I5 secured to the rear wheel 8 and the sprocket wheel I3 also has a chain 5- trained thereover for driving a rear sprocket wheel I1 5 which is of a size substantially equal to the front sprocket wheel l3 operatively associated therewith. The shaft ID is provided with a longitudinally extending recess l8 within which a chain speed control lever |9-is pivotally mounted as at- 20 intermediate its ends, said lever having laterally extending fingers 2| and 22 adjacent one end and extending in opposite directions as will be apparent from an inspection of Figures 3 and 8 of the drawings. The fingers 2l and 22 are kl adapted for movement outwardly of the shaft |0 through-laterally extending openings 23 and 24,

respectively, for feeding in recesses 25 formed on the inner periphery of the sprockets l2: and I3.

The opposite end of the lever i9 is provided=,

with ahead 26, adjacent which the shaft I0 is provided with a transversely extending opening 21 extending diametrically through opposite sides of the shaft. Mounted within the housing 9 is an electro-magnet 28 having an electrical; connection with a storage battery 29 supported on the frame 6, the energization of said electromagnet being controlled by a switch 30 mounted on the handle bars 3| of the bicycle. It will be apparent from the foregoing that-.

"with the parts arrangedin the position as shown in Figure 3 0i the drawings that upon the ener- =gization of the electro-magnet 2B the head 26 0f whereby a changeof speed in the driving ofthe bicycle willbe effected from the large gear l2 to the smaller gear I3. In order to determine when the lever I9 is in a proper position for actuation by the 'electro-magnet to effect a change of speed movement one of the pedals H is secured to the axle l0 so as to extend in a forward horizontal direction, as shown in Figure 45 1 of the drawings, when the finger 2| of the lever is in engaged position with the large sprocket wheel I2 and accordingly the lever will then occupy a position for actuation by the electro-magnet to effect a change of speed from high speed to low speed, likewise when it is desired to change the speed of the bicycle from the low speed drive to the high speed drive the pedal II is given a one-half revolution so that the same will occupy a,rearwardly extending horizontal 55.

position whereupon the position of the shaft l0 and lever 19 will be reversed from that shown in Figure 3 of the drawings and the transverse opening 2 1 in the shaft II] will again be brought into registry with the electro-magnet 28 whereupon the lever may be actuated to disengage the finger 22 from the small gear l3 and to engage the finger 2| with the large gear l2.

Provision is also made for actuating the lever l9 manually, should the electrical equipment fail, this manual operating means comprising a spring retracted plunger 32 slidably carried by the frame 6 and having its lower end extending through the housing 9 for engagement by theihead 26 of {the lever when the lateral opening 21 in the shaft 10 is brought into proper registration therewith.

Provision is also made for securing the lever I9 in either of its engaged positionsto prevent accidental disengagement with the sprocket wheels I2 and I3 and comprises a substantially diamond-shaped formation 33in a portionof the lever l9, the oppositely inclined surfaces of which are engagedby a pair of conical plugs 34 slidably mounted in chambers 35 formed in the shaft l0 and yieldably held in engaged position with the leverl9 by springs36 retained in the chambers by.-plugs 3,7. An electro-grnagnet"38 having electrical connection :with the battery 29 through a wire 39 provided with inturned ends 40 positioned adjacent the' plugsfi'l sothat upon energizationcf the electro-magnet :38 the slidable for. selectively connecting said sprocket wheels for rotation therewith,;and means free, of the shaft and operable throughopeningsin ;the shaft for actuating said lever into and outofzsprocket engaging positioni a;=

2. A;change speed mechanism-for bicycles comprising a pedal'driven shaft;, a-plurality of sprocket wheels .mounted for rotation on, said shaft,

.said sprocketwheels havingrecesses on theinner periphery thereof ,a leverpivotallycarried by and enclosedvwithin the-shaft, fi nge rs on one end ofthe lever.selectively.cnga eable-in the recesses of the .respective sprocket wheels. for. op-

3. A'change speed'mechanism forbicycles comprising a pedal operated shaft, a pair of sprocket wheels rotatably mounted on said shaft, means carried by and enclosed within the shaft for selectively connecting the sprocket wheels to the shaft for rotation therewith, electro-magnetic control means outwardly of the shaft and. operable through openings in the shaft for manipulating said first named means and spring actuated means yieldably maintaining said first named means in sprocket engaging position.

4. A change speed mechanism for bicycles cornprising a pedal operated shaft, a pair of sprocket wheels rotatably mounted on said shaft, means carried'by the shaft for selectively connecting the gsprocket wheels to the shaft for rotation therewith, electro-magnetic control means for said first named means, spring actuated means yieldably 1 maintaining said first named means in sprocket engaging position, and electro-magnetic means for releasing said spring-actuated means.

SVAchange speedmechanism for bicycles comprising a pedal operated shaft, a pair of sprocket wheels rotatably mounted thereon, each of said sprocket wheels having recesses on the inneruperipherythereof, a pivoted lever carried by the shaft, fingers extending laterally from the lever for selective engagement with the recesses of said sprocket wheels to, selectively connect the same for rotation with the shaft,;and a spring retracted plunger adapted for moving the same into and out. of sprocket engaging position.

. .6. A change speed mechanism for bicycles comprising a pedal -operated; shaft, a pair ofsprocket Wheels rotatably mounted thereon and having recesses on the inner peripheryz thereof, a longi- 1 tudinal recess formed; theshafta lever pivtal y mo tc in sa d ecess; sa d. n itud nal recess having openings extending laterally vthrough the sides of the,, shaf t, ;fingers on,,the ,lever movable through -eertain of said lateral 1'4 openingsjorfip agement within the recesses, of

said s et; w e s an ele troma netic means positioned adjacent certainpf the, other of .said

lateral ;openings .;in-; the shaft, and operable when in registry with the openings'for movingthe lever into and, out lof sprocket engaging position.

v 7- .chaneespees imecnanism f01'; bi cycles.comprising a pedal operated shaft, apair ofsprocket w e t ab moun ed th on. and hav recesses on the inner periphery. the eof, a longig udi lr s ;'fomnedimt -shaft. a. leve =p otally mounted in; said recess,- saidlongitudinal plunger operable into and out of certain of the other-pi said;:lateralLflhfltlings;in athe shaft for out of sp t en a ed. posi on.

= :JAMESEDWABD BUTLER.

engaging :said lever to move-the v;,same into and U 

